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SBU | Life > Experiences

Wilde Summer

Alexis Garmong Student Contributor, St. Bonaventure University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

In my senior year AP literature class, we were assigned to read “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. I adored the book so much that one of Wilde’s most famous lines made its way into my yearbook as my senior quote. 

“There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”

“The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde

Every now and then, this quote will pop into my head at times when I most need to hear it. This semester has been one of those times. Yet here I am, two years since I declared that to be my quote to live by, still struggling to follow through with it. 

It is easy to pretend that you do not care what others think or say about you, but it is much harder to actually not care. After 20 years of denying it, I have finally admitted that I am a sensitive person. I used to think that the best way to overcome my sensitivity was to be overly confident, cold, and detached. But I understand now that being sensitive is not a weakness.  

I can be sensitive and strong at the same time. I am allowed to be bothered by harsh words and actions. But I do not have to let people walk all over me. Conversely, I do not have to assert dominance to protect myself. Instead, I can accept my hurt feelings, allow myself to feel them, and move on. I move on without retaliation, tears, hate, or rationalization.  

People are going to talk. Period. People talk about people they hate, people they love, and people they do not even know. Even knowing this fact, I would still take negative comments that people said about me to heart. Lately, I have wasted too much time letting hurtful comments get me down, and that stops now. 

As the world leaves Brat summer behind, I propose a new kind of summer. I say that we have a Wilde summer. I’m going to have a summer of acceptance and of letting things go. To put it plainly, I am going to have a summer of doing what makes me happy without apology. I am not going to do whatever people want me to do just to make them stay, and I am not going to say hurtful things to people just because they hurt me.  

Who cares what people say about you? At least you know they will remember your name. This is going to be my mantra this summer. If you can adopt this mindset, you can enjoy your Wilde summer too.  

Alexis Garmong

SBU '27

Alexis Garmong is an editor of the St. Bonaventure University chapter of Her Campus. She writes and publishes weekly articles centered on topics like mental health and wellness, popular culture, and lifestyle. Beyond expressing herself and gaining writing experience, she aims to lean into the shared support, confidence, and sisterhood that Her Campus SBU has to offer!

Outside of Her Campus, Alexis Garmong is a junior majoring in psychology with a minor in communication. She was previously a journalism major, and this facet of her identity is demonstrated through her advocacy for ultimate truths and rights like Freedom of Speech. She is interested in philosophy, theology, and any subject that encourages one to look at the world from different viewpoints.

In day-to-day life, she enjoys listening to a massive variety of music genres and updating her Apple Music playlists accordingly. She loves films, fashion, art, literature, spirituality, animals, and nature. Her ultimate inspirations in life are Anna Karina, Audrey Hepburn, and Michael Cera. You can usually find her listening to Led Zeppelin or Black Sabbath, hanging out with friends, or lounging with her cat, Khaleesi.